There are many varieties of Asian eggplants, with skin colors ranging from light to dark purple, white, black, pink or green. Shapes can be round or long and slender.

Of all the Asian eggplants, Ping Tung is my favorite. It is named after the town, Ping Tung, Taiwan, where it originated.

Considered the best of the Asian varieties (a heavy producer, fairly hardy and disease resistant). The skin of the Ping Tung eggplant is a beautiful amethyst color, very thin so does not need peeling. Cooked, the white flesh has a creamy texture that is never bitter.

Grows to about 9 or more inches in length, if picked when the fruit is just over 1 inch in diameter there is no seeds. (I have purchased Ping Tung eggplants that were about 12 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter but still seedless.)

Growing: For best growth and yield, plant in fertile, well-drained, slightly acid soil that is high in organic matter and in full sun. For additional information click here for Cornell University eggplant growing guide.

I am a windowsill gardener, so must start my seeds indoors in early March. If you have a greenhouse or grow light you could start about 8 weeks before your transplanting date.

Eggplants are very sensitive to cold, I wait until end of May early June to set my eggplants in the garden. The weather in my area has settled (hopefully), no more frost and the soil has warmed up to 60º+ F.

Another reason I start my seeds so early is that when I set my plants out into the garden they have past the seedling stage and are mature plants.

Right photo, flea beetle and the holes it made in eggplant leaf.

You see, flea beetles love eggplants, the mature plants will survive their attacks, but the seedlings will be destroyed. Adult flea beetles are most active early spring when they emerge from the soil looking for food. Delay planting in the garden gives the plants better chance of survival.

This is how I grow my seedlings:(Photo, left to right)∞ Start seeds in cell pack.∞ Transplant seedlings to 3-inch pots∞ Bump up seedlings to 4-inch pots∞ Bump up seedlings to 6½-inch pots
The plants will continue to grow and mature in the 6½-inch pots. I water with ¼ strength fish emulsion fertilizer when soil surface is dry.

During and after hardening off and before transplanting into the garden, I protect the young plants by bringing them indoors on windy days and at night, yes, I baby them.

Ping Tung eggplant makes good container plants. My garden friend, Durga, plants hers in a beautiful container among her containers of exotic flowers. Her eggplants did not suffer flea beetles damage and she harvested many fruits. She also has the advantage, if she chooses, of bringing the container into her garage for protection if the night time temperature drops too low or frost is predicted, bring it back outdoors during the day, thus extending the season.

Harvesting: Can be harvested at any stage. Best if picked when the fruit is just over 1 inch in diameter.

Cooking: Grill, bake, broil, steam or stir-fry. Alone or combined with other vegetables and/or meat, poultry, seafood, tofu …. Use in any recipe calling for eggplant.

62 Responses to Ping Tung Eggplant – Solanum melongena ‘Ping Tung’

For lunch today, we had eggplant and sweet pepper very similar to your posted recipe except that I didn’t put miso nor ginger wine…it was well appreciated by all… but perhaps it would even be better when I try your recipe next time:)

Norma as usual I love reading your blog. I learn so much about food I have never had. However, I must admit I am not a fan of eggplant so don’t grow it. Tried growing it a couple of times and just didn’t have a long enough season.

Ping Tung is one of my favorite eggplants. I have never had a bitter one here. The stir fry sounds great. I never thought about combining them with peppers. I usually just do the eggplants by themselves, or with lots of veggies for a main course.

Wow that’s a crazy looking eggplant! I love the flavours your paired it with in this dish, especially the ginger wine. I’m intrigued by that one! Thanks for linking up the Healthy Vegan Friday and have a great weekend!

Eggplants and peppers go so well together. They make a great base for so many vegetable dishes and it’s not summer until I’ve enjoyed a dish of them. One of my vegetable stands has a number of varieties of eggplant: big and baby “regular” eggplant; Japanese eggplant, Indian eggplant, and Chinese eggplant. Now, just what is the actual name of each is left a mystery. I do think I’ve seen the Ping Tung, though, and will try them the next time I do – or whatever it is I saw. 🙂

I love love love Ping Tung Eggplants. we’re growing them this year alongside Rosa Bianca eggplants and unfortunately in my opinion the Rosa Biancas are inedible but the Ping Tungs are always delicious and so abundant. I’ve been putting them in everything. We have a countertop currently full of Ping Tungs and sweet peppers (Marconi and red Belgian). I’m definitely gonna have to try this recipe.

My first foray into the local nursery for spring plants hugely successful, but nurseryman has to find out about my request for Ping Tung eggplants. Very early in the season, lots of stuff still unavailable! During the past decade I have gone from a rather formal garden > the delight of almost a cottage garden and learnt how wonderful it is to ‘lose’ pots of herbs and vegetables amongst my oddly charming flowerbeds! Lost less sicknesses also!!

Thank you for the name Norma I always just called it Asian Eggplant! This one is by far my favourite too for all the wonderful characteristics you’ve mentioned. I adore the creaminess.
Your recipe sounds and looks wonderful.
I’m also encouraged in that it works well in a container. You’ve inspired me to get off my butt and do some serious container gardening next year.

Hi Norma, I just got some of those eggplants at Saturday Farmer’s market. What I love the most about those eggplants that they don’t require extra prep-work: just cut and cook. They taste fantastic! I would love to grow them, do you have an online source for seeds, that you can recommend?

Hello Marina,
Glad the eggplants are available at your farmers’ market. Are seedlings sold there too? You could buy the seedlings and get a head start. Many seed catalogs now carry Ping Tung eggplant. Given the cost for postage and handling, I get my seeds from whomever I am placing an order. You could try Evergreenseeds also. Agree, these eggplants don’t require extra prep-work, just cut and cook.

Hi Norma,
Your recipe was delicious! – I’ll definitely make this again and again. I had 3 eggplants ( 2 Pingtung and 1 Orient Express) from my garden and needed to cook them up today. I only had Carmen sweet red peppers from my garden – but will try to use several varieites (to make it more colorful and tasty) the next time I make it. And I didn’t have any shallots handy – so used some small Cabernet (red) onions that were in the garden. We really enjoyed the dish! Found that the Pingtung just about melt in your mouth – they are so tender; the Orient Express were still quite good but not quite as tender. Thanks for sharing your recipe – hope to see you at the next MG meeting.